UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Sunday, May 18, and made a call for global peace following the pontiff’s inauguration mass.
Announcing the meeting on X, Zelensky emphasised the symbolic importance of the Pope’s role in promoting peace.
“For millions of people around the world, the Pontiff is a symbol of hope for peace. The authority and voice of the Holy See can play an important role in bringing this war to an end,” Zelensky said on X.
“We appreciate the support for Ukraine and the clear voice in defense of a just and lasting peace,” he added.
Zelensky was accompanied by First Lady Olena Zelenska and Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak during the inauguration mass, which attracted approximately 250,000 pilgrims and 156 foreign delegations.
Notable attendees included Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the Presidents of Peru and Israel, the Prime Ministers of Italy, Canada, and Australia, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Other attendees included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who had met with Pope Francis shortly before his passing.
The meeting came shortly after Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration, where he vowed to address global challenges, including poverty and environmental protection. The new Pope pledged to uphold the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, emphasising his commitment to building a more united global Catholic Church.
During his inauguration sermon, Robert Prevost, who took the name, Pope Leo XIV, believes that the cardinals who elected him had chosen someone “capable of preserving the rich heritage of the Christian faith and, at the same time, looking to the future, to confront the questions, concerns and challenges of today’s world.”
He stressed the need for unity within the Church and called on Catholics to serve as a symbol of reconciliation in a world marked by discord, hatred, and exploitation.
The Pope also called for cooperation with other Christian denominations and people of goodwill to build a world where peace reigns.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M